Following the FBI’s arrest of a suspect in a “sextortion’’ case involving recently crowned Miss Teen USA Cassidy Wolf, the California teen admits to having "mixed emotions" of relief and pity.

“It’s weird for me to be able to put a face to the person who did this to me and to know that it was somebody I went to high school with,’’ Wolf told Savannah Guthrie as part of a Rossen Reports segment on TODAY Friday.

Jared James Abrahams, 19, a former classmate of Wolf’s at Great Oak High School in Temecula, Calif., has been charged with extortion after allegedly using software to control the computer webcams of Wolf and seven other women to take nude photographs or videos. He then allegedly threatened the victims via email that he would publish the photos online if they don't accede to his demands.

“I’m very relieved,’’ Wolf said. “I’m glad they were able to find who the person is, but on the other hand, it was somebody that I went to high school with. He was young, my age, and I just think it’s sad that he chose to do this and has now kind of put himself in this big dilemma. It’s mixed emotions.”

Today

Jared James Abrahams, 19, has been arrested and charged by the FBI for allegedly using malicious software to control the computer webcam of Miss Teen USA Cassidy Wolf, his former high school classmate, and other victims to take nude photographs or videos, and then allegedly sending emails to them threatening to publish the photos or videos online. He is currently on house arrest after being released on $50,000 bail.

Despite the alleged crime, Wolf, 19, said she feels sorry for the suspect.

“I don’t think he realizes the consequences and the people that he hurt,’’ she said. “He terrorized me and many girls for so long, and I just think that now it’s coming to real life for me as well that this person did this to me.”

Wolf did not know Abrahams when they attended high school together.

“I never had any interactions with him,’’ she said. “I went to a very large high school. I knew of him, I knew his name, but I never talked to him. I saw him in the hallways.”

Wolf told TODAY national investigative correspondent Jeff Rossen that the light for her webcam never came on when the suspect was allegedly hacking into it to take the illicit photos of her getting changed in her room or walking back and forth from the shower. She found out when she received an anonymous email making demands in exchange for not posting the photos, which were attached to the email. Wolf told her mother, who promptly called the police.

When FBI investigators executed a search warrant at his home, Abrahams confessed, according to the criminal complaint. They found evidence of hacking software along with images and videos of the victims on his computer and cell phone.

“There wasn't just one victim,’’ FBI agent Bill Lewis told TODAY Friday. “There were multiple victims in the state of California, throughout the United States, and even internationally. Some were as young as 16 years old.”

Abrahams, a college student studying computer science, is out on $50,000 bail. He is on house arrest, and is only allowed to leave his home for church, school, attorney’s visits and doctor’s appointments, according to Rossen. He also is prohibited from using the Internet. He appeared in federal court on Thursday, where his attorney said he has mental health issues.

“The family wants to apologize for the consequences of his behavior to the families that were affected,’’ attorney Alan Eisner told reporters Thursday.

The FBI says webcam hacking is a growing problem, and Wolf hopes her case helps bring light to the issue and empowers others affected by it.

“(My message is) to tell somebody because I know some of the girls who were involved in the case didn’t have the opportunity to talk to law enforcement and to get help," Wolf said. "So it makes me feel really good that I was able to help them out as well as other people who could be going through the same thing."

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Steve Marcus / X00642

Beauty queen scandals

They may be beautiful, but the competition can get ugly. From blackmail to sabotage, check out the underside of the pageant circuit.

Beauty queen scandals

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Miss Delaware Teen USA

They may be beautiful, but the competition can get ugly. From blackmail to sabotage, check out the underside of the pageant circuit.

Beauty queen scandals

After Miss Pennsylvania 2012, Sheena Monnin, spoke out on Facebook against the Miss Universe organization in June, calling it "trashy" and "rigged," co-owner Donald Trump threatened a lawsuit.

Miss Universe Organization / Miss Universe Organization

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Facing DUI charges

Former Miss USA Rima Fakih, pictured here on April 11, 2012 as she faces DUI charges in district court in Highland Park, Mich. Fakih pleaded no contest in the case, and on May 9 she was sentenced to probation and community service for driving under the influence and getting pulled over with an open Champagne bottle in her car.

AP, Reuters / AP, Reuters

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A transgender Miss Universe?

Jenna Talackova, a transgender beauty queen, protested the decision by pageant representatives to drop her from the Miss Universe Canada competition. She was finally given the green light to go by the Donald Trump-led Miss Universe Organization. The 23-year-old will, however, need to prove that she meets the "legal gender recognition requirements of Canada," according to local media.

Reuters / Reuters

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Miss California 1992

They may be beautiful, but the competition can get ugly. From blackmail to sabotage, check out the underside of the pageant circuit.

First up: Miss California 1992 Shannon Marketic, center, was accused of stealing almost $90 in beauty products from a Target store in August 2010. Marketic, 38, denies stealing the items and says they rolled in the cart and landed underneath her purse.

AP, Denton Police Department / AP, Denton Police Department

Beauty queen scandals

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Former Miss California USA 2009

Hosts Billy Bush and Nadine Velazquez listen as Miss California Carrie Prejean makes her highly publicized answer to a question from judge Perez Hilton about legalizing same-sex marriage during the Miss USA Pageant in Las Vegas on April 19, 2009. The controversy grew in ensuing weeks when Prejean became the spokesperson for a national group opposing same-sex unions, after which racy photos of her surfaced. Prejean blamed people opposing her views for the release of the photos. She eventually surrendered her crown after pageant officials accused her of missing events, an allegation she denied.

AP / AP

Beauty queen scandals

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Miss Universe 2008

Crowned Miss Universe in July 2008, Venezuela's Dayana Mendoza kept her crown despite risque photos that showed the beauty queen topless, though covering most of her chest. The Miss Universe president said that Mendoza’s photographs had "artistic beauty."

AP / AP

Beauty queen scandals

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Miss Washington 2008

Elyse Umemoto, Miss Washington and second runner-up in this year's Miss America pageant, was shown flipping off the camera while wearing her crown, playing beer pong, posing in her bra and making suggestive hand signs on TMZ.com.

Getty Images / Getty Images

Beauty queen scandals

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Miss South Florida Fair 2008

Jessica Wittenbrink, who was crowned Miss South Florida Fair 2008, says her evening gown was smeared with lipstick during the competition.

Beauty queen scandals

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Miss New Jersey 2007

Amy Polumbo was crowned Miss New Jersey 2007. An anonymous person threatened to reveal "scandalous" photos of the beauty queen, but Polumbo refused to cave in to the blackmail. She took the incident public and revealed the photos herself on TODAY.

AP / AP

Beauty queen scandals

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Miss USA 2006

Tara Conner, representing Kentucky, won the Miss USA title in 2006 and moved to New York City where she partied in clubs and drank despite being underage. Donald Trump gave her a reprieve, allowing her to retain the title after she agreed to enter rehab and undergo drug testing.

AP / AP

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Miss South Carolina Teen USA

Lauren Caitlin Upton, Miss South Carolina, became a Internet sensation with her nonsensical answer to a question during the Miss Teen USA competition in August 2007. The 18-year-old got a chance to redeem herself on TODAY when she was again asked why one-fifth of Americans can't locate the U.S. on a map.

Miss Universe via AP / Miss Universe via AP

Beauty queen scandals

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Miss France 2008

Despite racy photos that appeared recently in a gossip magazine, Miss France 2008 Valerie Begue will keep her crown, but will not compete in the Miss World or Miss Universe pageants.

AP / AP

Beauty queen scandals

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Miss Nevada USA 2006

Katie Rees was stripped of her title in 2006 after racy photos of her appeared on the Internet. Some of the photos showed her kissing other young women, exposing her breasts and pulling down her pants to show her thong underwear. Afterwards, Rees signed a two-year, $2 million-plus deal to host a variety show at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. In April, Rees agreed to pay fines for five misdemeanor traffic violations in exchange for prosecutors dropping a charge of resisting arrest.

AP / AP

Beauty queen scandals

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Miss New Jersey USA 2007

Ashley Harder held the title of Miss New Jersey USA 2007 and was set to compete in the Miss USA pageant before she became pregnant and voluntarily stepped down. Runner-up Erin Abrahamson assumed the title.

Courier-Post via AP / Courier-Post via AP

Beauty queen scandals

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Miss California USA 2008

Christina Silva, 24, was declared Miss California USA in November only to have her crown revoked days later. Pageant official say a mix-up in tallying the votes led to the wrong woman being crowned. Silva, who is Hispanic, is suing the pageant, alleging rigging and racial bias.

AP / AP

Beauty queen scandals

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Miss Great Britain 2006

Danielle Lloyd was stripped of her title after it was revealed that she had posed nude for Playboy and amid accusations that she was dating one of the judges at the time of the contest. Lloyd went on to star in the British reality show Celebrity Big Brother in 2007 where she and other contestants were accused of bullying and making racist comments about Indian actress Shilpa Shetty.

Getty Images / Getty Images

Beauty queen scandals

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Miss United States Teen 2003

Former Miss Oregon Teen USA Kari Ann Peniche was stripped of her title in 2003 after she posed nude for Playboy magazine. Peniche appeared as a patient on the VH1 television show Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew but was involuntarily discharged.

In 2009, a racy video of Peniche, "Grey’s Anatomy" star Eric Dane and his wife Rebecca Gayheart was leaked. The 12-minute video was said to be shot inside Peniche’s apartment, and within it, Gayheart said she was high.

WireImage / WireImage

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Miss Louisiana Teen USA 2008

Miss Louisiana Teen USA 2008 Lindsey Evans was stripped of her crown 10 days before completing her reign. She and her friends skipped out on a $46 restaurant bill, and Evans left behind her purse, which contained a bag of marijuana. The women were arrested for theft and drug possession when they returned to retrieve the purse.

Splash News / Splash News

Beauty queen scandals

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Miss Universe 2002

Former Miss Russia Oxana Fedorova was fired less than four months into her reign for missing too many events. She was a law student at the time and complained that being Miss Universe interfered with her education. "I never had any intention of abandoning my university work," she said.

The pageant president said contestants know Miss Universe is a full-time job and that winners spend 80 percent of their time traveling as goodwill ambassadors.

AP / AP

Beauty queen scandals

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Miss America 1984

Vanessa Williams, representing New York, became the first black Miss America. She had to resign when nude photos taken before her beauty contest victories were published in Penthouse. The crown was given to Suzette Charles, who's also black. Williams later became a successful singer with such hits as "Save the Best for Last," and "Colors of the Wind." Some of her movie credits include "Eraser," "Soul Food" and "Dance with Me." She currently plays the scheming fashion editor on "Ugly Betty."

Getty Images / Getty Images

Beauty queen scandals

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Miss World 1973

Marjorie Wallace was dethroned about four months into her reign, after she was accused of dating too many high-profile men, including professional soccer player George Best and singer Tom Jones. The organizers said the first woman from the U.S. to win the title hadn't maintained Miss World's reputation. She later became a television host for "Good Morning Los Angeles" and "Entertainment Tonight."